Hello, Routine.

The kids went back to school today and I’m officially the mom of a Sophomore, 8th, 6th, and 3rd grader.  I’m a little freaked out to think I have one graduating in a couple of years but Sydney reminds me we’ll still be doing school for a while yet.  I’m happy about that because she is the only one who let me walk her into class this morning and put her supplies away and take her picture and talk to all of her friends and then kiss her before her teacher politely asks me to leave now before she calls security. The boys?  We didn’t do any of that.  Even though they have all outgrown me, I still have to fight the urge to walk them to their lockers and make sure they get their combinations right and decorate their doors with cute magnets with their names on them (Can never find one with ‘Sawyer’?).  I’m still learning how to be a detached, hand-shake if you are lucky, mom of teens.  May it always be a struggle.

Perhaps to offset any sadness, I had a ridiculously sweet time with Jesus this morning at my favorite spot in the park where I go when I drop the kids.  I cracked the cover on a brand new journal a dear friend gave me for my birthday.  (I adore it, Tera F.!)  There’s a slight hint of fall in the air, football jamboree is Thursday, I get to teach a retreat this weekend for some darling girls I can’t wait to meet.  Always in the mix are some complicated things on the sublevel, and yet even deeper than that is joy in another day of being confident the Lord Jesus holds me and mine and you and yours in the palm of His capable hand.

Maybe that explains why I almost feel giddy this morning to jump on here and say hello to anyone out there who is still popping by here from time to time.  I got over making excuses long ago but here’s praying a return to routine will also mark the return of more frequent communication.  I’ve missed writing and I’ve missed you.

To celebrate the return of routine (to those of you with school-aged kids) how does the structure of your day change once the children are back in school?  Have any return-to-class resolutions?  If you don’t have young kids, maybe you need inspiration to kick start a more productive schedule.   My desire which I pray desperately shapes my actions is to hear, receive, and bear fruit in response to God’s Word one hundredfold (Mark 4) and to figure out what that is supposed to look like in this season.  I used to think I was more of a tenfold girl (on a good day!) with my kids at home but the Lord comforted me long ago with the understanding that loving our children and caring for our families IS PRODUCTIVE even if the laundry doesn’t get done or that book doesn’t get written.  Don’t undervalue the fruit of your labors, sisters.  Mothering matters.

Don’t know how I got off on that tangent but you know how I do. 

Did I mention I’m happy to talk to you? 

P.S. And for goodness sakes, how are you moms who sent babies to college faring? I can’t bear to think of it.  My mom’s heart is having you over for coffee and a cry and a night out to see The Help.  I finished the book, am dying to see the film, and according to my friends who have seen it, it will be the cure to all that ails us.